The invention relates to a universal device management system for managing multi-vendor devices using a single-standard manager to eliminate the need for multiple, device-specific, proprietary managers. The invention further relates to a site server which is configurable using Worldwide Web browser technology to translate native protocols and formats of multiple devices into a single, standards-based management protocol.
Commercial and non-commercial organizations are becoming increasingly reliant on computer systems and the extension of information resources to remote locations via data communication networks to maintain high productivity levels, while operating within budgetary constraints. Accordingly, it is becoming increasingly important to control and manage devices such as power supplies, modems, switches, multiplexers, private branch exchanges, uninterrupted power supplies, appliances and sensors for environment control and patient monitoring, for example, at remote locations from a central management site. Communication technologies allow these organizations to communicate with remote devices; however, the maximum advantage of these communication technologies cannot be realized without well-planned, proactive management structures in place, such as standards-based management centers that are capable of supporting networks and systems from different vendors.
A number of network management systems have been proposed; however, these network management systems (NMSs) typically require agents in the devices themselves which communicate with a manager using a protocol that the manager understands. Other kinds of NMSs use the management data that is collected by a manager to create enhanced visual systems. These NMSs are characterized by a number of limitations and disadvantages.
For example, a number of device management systems are vendor-specific, non-standard systems that are capable of managing only one type of device. With reference to FIG. 1, devices from vendors X, Y and Z are illustrated. The devices from vendor X each comprise an agent for management through a manager available from vendor X. Likewise, the devices from vendor Y are managed by a different manager than that of vendor X. This situation requires extensive training on the part of an operator to learn the different vendor-specific management interfaces and protocols of both vendors X and Y. In addition, a number of devices, such as those of vendor Z, are unmanaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,044, to Dev et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,792, to Chouraki et al, disclose high-level, network managers, as opposed to device managers described with reference to FIG. 1. The systems disclosed in these two patents illustrate post-processing, network management tools that manipulate data that has already been collected from managed devices and generate enhanced user displays of network configurations using collected device data. These systems manipulate data that has already been obtained from a management system and assumes that a network manager is already configured to be able to physically command a device. These systems are not concerned with communication with the devices themselves to generate raw data that can be used by any management system.
A need exists for a standards-based management system which enables virtually any device to be directly element-managed from virtually any manager. Further, a need exists for a universal device management system which brings each proprietary management system (e.g., the management systems of vendors X and Y) into a standard management domain, as well as manages devices such as those of vendor Z. Devices such as those of vendors X, Y and Z are commonly referred to as legacy devices since they were present within a system prior to the establishment of standards-based network management for that system, and are typically unmanaged or require management by a vendor-specific, non-standard management system. Organizations typically have remote sites where legacy-type devices are deployed, along with smart devices which can be managed from an umbrella-type management console employing, for example, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
SNMP is a known method for relaying network management information from devices on a network to management consoles designed to provide a comprehensive view of the network. SNMP comprises two major components, that is, the protocol itself and the Management Information Base (MIB). The protocol supports three basic operations, including Get request and response packets to receive information from a remote node, Set request packets to change a variable on a remote node, and Initiate Traps to send an event to a management station. The MIB is a set of managed objects or variables that can be managed. Each data element, such as a node table, is modeled as an object and given a unique name and identifier for management purposes. The complete definition of a managed object includes its naming nomenclature, syntax, definitions, access method (e.g., read-only or read-write) and status. SNMP utilizes an architecture that accommodates communication between one of a manager and a large number of remote agents, hereinafter referred to as SNMP agents, located throughout the network. SNMP agents use the MIB to provide a view of local data that are available for manipulation by a management console. In order for a variable to be monitored by the management console, the variable must be represented as a MIB object. The management console sends Get and Set requests to remote SNMP agents, and the SNMP agents initiate traps to the management console when unexpected events occur. Thus, most of the burden for retrieving and analyzing data rests on the management application. Unless data is requested or requested in a proactive way, little information is shown on the management console. The SNMP is a connectionless protocol that runs over the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and Internet Protocol (IP) stack.
With continued reference to FIG. 1, the high development costs required to bring each proprietary device management system into a standards-based device management domain are frequently the reason why many legacy devices remain unmanaged. Legacy devices are, therefore, frequently removed from systems long before their operational life span and purpose expires. Thus, a need exists to lessen the custom development efforts required to bring such proprietary device management systems into standards-based device management domains.
The network management systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,044, to Dev et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,792, to Chouraki et al, permit various devices and their characteristics and behaviors to be modeled and stored in a database which is accessed to manage the devices. The process of modeling the rules and behavior of different types of devices into data structures of model databases is typically performed by a network operator who is knowledgeable of all of the functional characteristics and operational requirements of the devices to be managed. Thus, modeling of devices for management requires specialized software programming. A need exists for an application program which guides a user in an intuitive manner when converting a non-standard management interface of a device into an integrated management interface of a universal network management system that is capable of managing devices from different vendors.
A network management system software tool developed by ObjectStream, Inc., Pleasanton, Calif., has been proposed to facilitate interface development to integrate different kinds of network elements or devices into multiple network management systems. The software comprises a proprietary editor module that is a JAVA Applet which provides a simple graphical interface to allow users to create and edit simple templates that structure the resources and attributes of different network elements in accordance with a proprietary definition for an interface. Users access the editor module via a Worldwide Web browser. The editor module is a structured library and interpretive software component of another software module (hereinafter referred to as the mediation module) that performs real-time translation of messages between network elements and different network management systems, that is, between the proprietary interface and the frameworks required by different managing applications.
The ObjectStream(trademark) network management software tool requires users to develop end applications, that is, the software tool requires users to write software via the editor module for each device to be managed and to assemble various hardware and software components required for the end application. The system is disadvantageous because the descriptions of devices to be managed that are created using the templates of the editor module are not standards-based. Thus, for each device that is managed using the network management system, software must be devised on a device-by-device basis. Further, the ObjectStream(trademark) network management software tool is similar to the systems disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,044 and 5,594,792 in that it is a post-processing tool. The software tool is used for processing data that has already been retrieved from managed devices, and assumes that network managers are already configured to physically command the devices. A need exists for a network management system which allows the resources and attributes of virtually any network device to be modeled using a standards-based data structure and without requiring software development. A need also exists for a device management system that is easily configurable and ready for use with managed devices and remote managers without having to assemble the components thereof to create an end application.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages and limitations, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for managing devices from multiple vendors using one network manager, thereby eliminating the need for multiple, device-specific, proprietary management systems, and substantial software development to manage a new device.
A further object of the present invention is to make it possible for users to manage virtually any device from virtually anywhere using a combination of communications resources, such as Direct Dial via a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a corporate intranet, the Internet, facsimile and wireless services such as paging.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a site server to which different types of devices are connected and which translates the native interfaces of the devices to MIB-based format for management by off-the-shelf SNMP and WEB managers. Alternatively, the native interfaces of devices can be translated into formats required by other network management protocols, such as Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP) and Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) protocol.
It is still a further object of the present invention to allow users to configure the site server using a Web browser and without having to employ a skilled network management expert to write program code.
Another object of the present invention is a system and method for consolidated monitoring and control of standards-compliant devices such as hubs, switches, routers and network access servers and non-compliant devices such as multiplexers, contact closure sensing devices and analog inputs from a single management center based on open standards.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a user with an integrated site server which allows the user to plug-in different devices and to configure the site server to control and monitor the devices without having to add hardware or modify existing hardware.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved, in part, by providing users with a remotely accessible integrated site server having a plurality of ports for connection to different devices to be managed from remote locations. The ports of the site server are configurable from a remote location via Web browser technology and can be a contact closure-type port, a serial port an or analog port. The site server also comprises a modem and a local area network (LAN) access board, such as an Ethernet 10-BaseT board, to communicate with remote users via a PSTN, an intranet and the Internet.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the site server is provided with an SNMP agent, a Web server, a relational database, and a database for storing HTML pages and MIB files. The site server is programmed to generate a plurality of pages dynamically which are presented as Web pages to remote users at remote computers running browser software. The pages guide the user to enter attributes of devices and other information to associate devices with MIBs for different types of devices to be managed from the site server.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the integrated site server is programmed to generate Web pages to allow users to configure the site server to manage a particular device by specifying a managed device driver, and selecting from port configuration options and port drivers, alert messaging options and MIB file administration options.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the system provides a method of guiding a user when mapping native device interfaces into standards-based management operations such as SNMP operations.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the integrated site server is provided with a TCP/IP sub-system capable of responding to more than one IP address to allow different devices connected to the server to have their own IP addresses. In addition, groups of SNMP variables can be aggregated and sent as a single command to a device from an SNMP manager. Also, the devices can be configured in accordance with the present invention to return information to an SNMP manager relating to a plurality of parameters or SNMP variables using a single response from the device.